Growing Need For Medical Salespeople

Healthcare is one of the top three industries leading the nation in new-job creation in 2006, according to recruiters and economists in a Jan. 3, 2006, article on "The Wall Street Journal's" Executive Career Site, CareerJournal.com. That means demand is high for medical salespeople.

By Barbara K. Mednick, Star Tribune Sales and Marketing

Last update: May 22, 2006 - 9:05 AM

That means demand is high for medical salespeople, particularly in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, where healthcare and medical device companies are growing and flourishing, according to Judy Hoff, CEO of Healthcare Academy in Henderson, Minn., which provides custom learning solutions to the healthcare industry. U.S. job-growth projections for 2006 from research firm Moody's Economy.com report that there are now 100,000 hospitals, up 2.4 percent from 2005, and there are 86,000 physicians' offices, up 4 percent.

Economy.com also reports that the healthcare field is projected to add more positions than any other in 2006, largely a result of the needs of aging baby boomers.

Medical sales representatives sell medical equipment, products, and services, not including pharmaceuticals, to doctors, dentists, hospitals, medical schools, and retail establishments, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Science Education. Some sales representatives have large territories and travel considerably, while others work near their "home base" and travel mostly by car.

Rewarding Field To Work In

"Medical sales is a wonderful field to work in, and the Twin Cities is one of the leading areas in the country. Medical salespeople often tell me that it is rewarding to sell things that help people," says Hoff , who has 30 years of clinical and educational experience.

According to Hoff, the biggest challenges of medical sales are being able to communicate the results of the product and helping medical professionals understand how it will help the patient. "We teach medical consultative selling skills to help them understand the medical condition and learn how to talk to physicians and other healthcare professionals about their product. We train them to 'get in sync' with their problem-solving approach."

The job requires a lot of social interaction and the ability to be very persuasive. Dealing with different types of people can be demanding but stimulating. Companies usually set goals or quotas that reps are expected to meet. Since their earnings depend on commissions, medical salespeople are also under the added pressure to maintain and expand their clientele. Compensation varies by company and is usually a combination of salary and commission.

Due to the nature of the work and the amount of travel, sales representatives typically work more than 40 hours per week, according to the National Institutes of Health. However, they have the freedom to determine their own schedule and often can take time off when they want it.

Hoff echoes that sentiment.

"A good medical salesperson works a lot of hours. Successful medical salespeople are experienced, persistent and smart, do their homework and have an understanding of the audience they are selling to," says Hoff. "They also must be 'well-networked,' as the medical community in the Twin Cities fills many positions by word-of-mouth. Success is all about connectivity and who you know."

Barbara K. Mednick is a Twin Cities marketing PR/communications consultant and freelance writer.